Have we mentioned that cookbooks make a great gift? They do. And these are some of our favorite cookbooks from 2024, chosen in a completely subjective manner by the Good Food team — host Evan Kleiman and producers Gillian Ferguson, Laryl Garcia, and Elina Shatkin. Evan Kleiman would also like you to know that she has included several food books that, strictly speaking, aren't cookbooks in Good Food's fabulous Gift Guide.
"Mayylu" follows Hana El-Hibri's trek through Lebanon. Photo courtesy of Nomad Publishing.
FOR THE EXPLORER
Mayylu! Discovering Lebanon's Hidden Culinary Heritage by Hana el Hibri
This book was hand delivered to me by the author's son — and I'm so glad he did. It's such an unusual book. In 2009, Hana El-Hibri hiked the Lebanon Mountain Trail. She spent a month being welcomed into home after home, experiencing hospitality and a cuisine of specialties that are generations old but that most people have never heard of. The result of that experience is Mayylu!, a book that's much more than a cookbook. —E.K.
"Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor" explores the building blocks of yumminess. Photo courtesy of Harvest.
FOR THE FOOD SCIENCE NERD
Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor by Arielle Johnson
Science intimidates me the way Shakespeare and iambic pentameter does others, so I love hearing Evan's interviews with the likes of Harold McGee and flavor scientist Arielle Johnson. When Johnson speaks about discovering her life's calling then writing her senior thesis on the polymer chemistry of Turkish stretchy ice cream, it made me understand why she is so respected by the culinary world's elite. In her book Flavorama, Johnson makes the connections between taste, smell, and flavor, and outlines particular flavor patterns that once understood, make improvisation in the kitchen possible. Paying attention, repetition, and tasting with intention are key to training our palates. Listen to her extended interview and you'll never eat meat (aka "a mostly flavorless but texturally interesting sponge of proteins soaked full of water with a relatively tiny amount of flavor-active molecules in it") the same way again. And if you haven't listened to Arielle join Evan to co-pilot this year's Thanksgiving episode, you're missing out on a slew of takeaways. —L.G.
"Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes" brings the restaurant's favorite dishes to the tables of home cooks. Photo courtesy of Clarkson Potter.
FOR THE FARMERS MARKET FIEND
Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes by Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson
I've had this cookbook for less than a year and it's already dogeared and ragged. When I am wondering how to use up the turnips I bought at the market or trying to decide what to make for Sunday supper, this is the book I reach for. Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer's food has always been clear-eyed, vegetable-forward, and downright craveable. In Kismet, they've managed to pack in all the flavor we've come to expect from their restaurant without intimidating us with technique. Yes, you'll find recipes for their viral hits, like Ranchy Labneh and Persian-Style Crispy Rice with an oozy egg yolk, but overall it's an approachable collection of nourishing recipes that are as good for weekdays as they are for dinner parties. It's a book for anyone who loves bright, zippy flavors, and would be a perfect gift for the farmers' market shopper in your life. —G.F.
"Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks" started with the birth of one of Crystal Wilkinson's essays. Photo courtesy of Clarkson Potter.
FOR THE DOWN-HOME DINER
Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson
Black Appalchian food is about as far from my culinary wheelhouse as I can imagine. The last time I tried making biscuits from scratch, I achieved an unholy trinity. They were burnt, raw inside, and flat as pancakes. Maybe that's why Southern food intrigues me. It looks simple but requires a lot of baseline knowledge and technique. If it comes with personal and cultural histories, all the better. Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts has plenty of both. Born in Ohio, Crystal Wilkinson grew up on her grandparents' farm in Indian Creek, Kentucky, where they were the only African American family in the area. She still has a tin box filled with recipes handwritten on notebook paper and the backs of envelopes. Those are the backbone of this book. And her Biscuits with Blackberry Soup recipe looks fantastic. —E.S.
"Meat Pies" celebrates savory flavors wrapped in pastry. Photo courtesy of W.W. Norton & Company.
FOR THE HEARTY EATER
Meat Pies: An Emerging American Craft by Brian Polcyn
A master butcher and charcuterie-maker takes on savory pies, including vegetable ones. We American home bakers need to catch up on the savory versions of one of our favorite dough-encased treats and chef Brian Polcyn couldn't be a better guide. In Meat Pies, his expertise from decades of cooking and teaching comes through on every page. —E.K.
"Amrikan" is how Indians say "American," explains Khushbu Shah, whose debut cookbook honors the Indian diaspora. Photo courtesy of W.W. Norton & Company.
FOR THE VEGETABLE MAVEN
Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora by Khushbu Shah
As much as I love Indian food, it's nothing I have seriously attempted in the kitchen. Perhaps the gateway is Khushbu Shah's debut cookbook, Amrikan, wherein she describes her Midwest background and her mother's adaptations of traditional recipes incorporating American ingredients such as Bisquick, peanut butter, and ketchup. Think Saag Paneer Lasagna and Jaggery and Fennel Rice Krispie Treats. The familiarity in these recipes is encouraging and Shah's personality pops off the pages. Since I've never met a nacho I didn't like, I am happy to make the acquaintance of her version, which includes rajma, a velvety kidney bean dish that is a staple in Punjabi cooking. —L.G.
"Easy Wins" is built focuses on 12 pantry staples, offering a dozen vegetarian recipes for each one. Photo courtesy of Fourth Estate.
FOR THE BUSY COOK
Easy Wins: 12 Flavour Hits, 125 Delicious Recipes, 365 Days of Good Eating by Anna Jones
These days, we could all use a few easy wins. I have been a fan of Anna Jones since her first book, A Modern Way to Eat. Like me, she is now the mom of two young kids, which means she understands the need for efficiency in the kitchen, but what I love about her recipes is that they never sacrifice flavor for time. I also appreciate that despite her living in London, her pantry looks a lot like mine. Easy Wins focuses on 12 pantry staples, from lemons, mustard, and capers to tahini, tomatoes, and miso. Every chapter includes a dozen vegetarian recipes that highlight each pantry staple in simple yet interesting ways. I plan on making her spiced tomato soup (with cumin, coriander, and harissa) all winter long. —G.F.
"Big Dip Energy" dives into entertaining's favorite centerpiece. Photo courtesy of William Morrow Cookbooks.
FOR THE CASUAL HOST
Big Dip Energy: 88 Parties in a Bowl for Snacking, Dinner, Dessert, and Beyond! By Alyse Whitney
I love hosting. If I had a bigger home with a yard or a deck and a full-time cleaning staff, I'd host casually elegant Sunday Suppers that allow me to pretend I live in a rustic villa. Instead, I go for the easiest options when I have friends over. That often means dip. I appreciate that Alyse Whitney doesn't give Lipton Onion Soup Mix the side eye and that she does cheeky things like using an entire head of romaine lettuce as the base for her Caesar salad dip. She has parlayed her creamy creativity into Big Dip Energy, a book that's as fun and bubbly as her persona. It has a bunch of not-too-difficult dips that I think I can actually achieve and Oliver Putnam would hoover up. —E.S.
"The Elements of Baking" delves into the art and science of eliminating ingredients. Photo courtesy of Hodder & Stoughton.
FOR THE BAKER WITH DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
The Elements of Baking by Kat Cermelj
If you are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan and have despaired of making an actually delicious home-baked item, here is your holy grail. Kat Cermelj is a scientist who goes deep into the how and the why of each type of bake. There are charts, formulas, and photos each iteration of each recipe. If you're not interested in going that deep, this book also has recipes that you can jump in and follow. But if you want to learn how to "free-ify" any recipe you come across, this is the book for you. —E.K.
"Sift" is filled with technical baking information imparted in an easy, digestible manner. Photo courtesy of Clarkson Potter.
FOR THE BAKER WHO WANTS TO LEARN THE BASICS
Sift: The Elements of Baking by Nicola Lamb
"Sugar really does need a new publicity tool," says baker Nicola Lamb. In Sift: The Elements of Great Baking, she explains that sugar is so much more than sweetening. She calls it "the nosy neighbor of baking" because it does so many other things. One of them is attracting water. "It's probably the most important thing it does. It is pulling water from the other ingredients, and that is what's keeping it moist and chewy." Too little sugar and your bakes are going to be extremely dry and domed. Too much sugar and your bakes will be too soft and collapse. Lamb takes this kind of care with the fundamental elements of baking — sugar, flour, etc. — explaining them in a complete and digestible manner. Her substack, Kitchen Projects, is also worth reading. —E.S.
"Sicily, My Sweet" explores the history and diversity of pastries and confections on the island. Photo courtesy of Hardie Grant.
FOR THE ITALO-PHILE
Sicily, My Sweet by Victoria Granof
Let me start by saying I'm not a sweets person. I will reach for anything pickled or salty before I crave a gooey, chocolate chip cookie or a hunk of cake. But Italian sweets are different and then, there's Sicily. Sicily, My Sweet is transportive. The photography itself is criminally delicious. Victoria Granof's initial fascination with Italy coupled with her research into the history and meaning behind these recipes gave me a deeper appreciation for even the simplest-looking confections. The cookie section, in particular, is perfect for this time of year. I can't wait to make the Lemon Bergamot Olive Oil Cake. It all makes me want a nonna in my life. —L.G.
Want to learn to make Uzbek mung bean soup or Afghan milk pudding? "League of Kitchens" is your cookbook. Photo courtesy of Harvest.
FOR THE VICARIOUS TRAVELLER
The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World by Lisa Kyung Gross and the Women of The League of Kitchens Cooking School
Neither of my grandmothers were interested in cooking. One lived on take out, and the other, most memorably, cut ice cream out of the carton with a paring knife. It wasn't until I began producing Good Food that I realized how influential the cooking of grandparents could be. As countless chefs would recount their memories cooking alongside their mothers and grandmothers, I wondered what it would be like to pull up a chair in the kitchen and learn by their side. In 2014, Lisa Kyung Gross gave me the answer with The League of Kitchens, a New York-based cooking school where immigrant women teach cooking classes from their homes. The idea took off. Soon, New Yorkers were learning to make Uzbek mung bean soup and Afghan milk pudding. I'm sorry to say that the LA expansion didn't last long but the New York classes are available online. People everywhere can read the stories and learn the recipes of 14 instructors in The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World. —G.F.
"Koreaworld: A Cookbook" follows the evolution of Korean cuisine to its current state. Photo courtesy of Clarkson Potter.
FOR THE FUSION CUISINE FANATIC
Koreaworld: A Cookbook by Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard
How about a Spaghetti Alle Vongole recipe with a Korean twist? Yes, please. After releasing Koreatown, which explored the popularity of Korean food across the US, chef Deuki Hong and journalist Matt Rodbard have returned with Koreaworld, which explores the global influences on Korean cuisine and its impact on the rest of the world. Until I read this book, I didn't know that Italian food, especially pasta, has exploded in popularity across the country, despite quality canned tomatoes being hard to come by in Korea. This is a book of smart, tasty, original, down-to-earth recipes, a few of which have more complicated touches. It convinced me that all of the world's cuisines can — and should — be filtered through a Korean lens. —E.S.
Karen Fisher worked with 2,000 collaborators to compile recipes for "Zaatari: Culinary Traditions of the World's Largest Syrian Refugee Camp." Photo courtesy of Goose Lane Editions.
FOR THE TRADITIONALIST
Zaatari, Culinary Traditions of the World's Largest Syrian Refugee Camp by L. Karen Fisher
In Northern Jordan, not far from the Southern Syrian border sits a 1,300-acre village of 83,000 souls. The main shopping street is populated with a thousand or so businesses including restaurants, boutiques, electronic stores, and food shops. The way this community came about, however, isn't the story of most towns. Zaatari is the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world. Karen E. Fisher first went there in 2015 to work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She and her team of refugee women tell the story of the camp through its food in an extraordinary cookbook, Zaatari. —E.K.
"Wafu," which means Japanese in style, is actually a pretty broad concept, says Sonoko Sakai. Photo courtesy of Knopf.
FOR THE FUNKY TRADITIONALIST
Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes With Japanese Style by Sonoko Sakai
Sonoko Sakai is an L.A. gem who combines immense intelligence and a playful sensibility. In Wafu Cooking, she has put together a collection of recipes that "captures the cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world in dishes that have come to Japan from abroad and been 'wafu-ed' to suit local tastes, and in Japanese dishes that are reimagined through an American lens." —E.K.
If you like Rancho Gordo's beans, you'll love their bean cookbook. Photo courtesy of Ten Speed Press.
FOR THE LEGUME LOVER
The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen by Steve Sando and Julia Newberry
I belong to two clubs, a cookbook club and the Rancho Gordo Bean Club. So it's no surprise that The Bean Book, written by Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando, and general manager Julia Newberry, is at the top of my cookbook stack. In an interview with Evan Kleiman, I was floored to learn that my coveted Bean Club subscription is not as unique as I once thought. According to Steve, there are about 26,000 Bean Club members (and a waitlist of 15,000), so no wonder this book is already a New York Times bestseller! We all want to know which beans pair best with tinned seafood (Cassoulet or Caballero). And of course we need more recipes for those pillowy Royal Coronas (the book has at least a dozen, including one for "Pizza Beans"). I could stand on my soap box all day extolling the virtues of beans, or you could just buy a bag from Rancho Gordo and follow one of these recipes to find out what all the fuss is about. —G.F.
Wanderlust Creamery has seven locations across Los Angeles but with a new cookbook, you can try making these flavors at home. Photo courtesy of Abrams.
FOR THE ASPIRING ICE CREAM MAKER
The Wanderlust Creamery Presents: The World of Ice Cream by Adrienne Borlongan
Am I ever going to make ice cream? Probably not. But if I were, this is the book I'd turn to. It is the most technical ice cream book I have ever seen. It's extraordinarily detailed and definitely for perfectionists, like Adrienne Borlongan, the founder of local ice cream chain Wanderlust Creamery. Reading it, I had a lowkey light bulb moment when she explained, in fine-grain, why she pairs certain milks and bases with certain flavors. Fortunately, The Wanderlust Creamery Presents: The World of Ice Cream is also full of gorgeous pictures and drool-inducing flavor combos such as Pandan Tres Leches, Salted Kaya Toast, Ramune Sherbet, Strawberry Daifuku, Earl Grey Milk Chocolate, and Royal Prune Armagnac. —E.S.
Learn how to glaze an entire mandarin in sugar in "Nature's Candy." Photo courtesy of Appetite by Random House.
FOR YOUR FRUITIEST FRIEND
Nature's Candy: Timeless and Inventive Recipes for Creating and Baking with Candied Fruit by Camila Wynne
Practicality be damned, this is a book for the dreamers who side with beauty over pragmatism. Master Preserver Camila Wynne wrote Nature's Candy after she started doing workshops and realized she wasn't the only one "bewitched by glistening fruity jewels." Project bakers will love learning how to candy a whole pineapple while those inclined to pursue an afternoon art project will appreciate a lesson on crystallization, which Wynne describes as "Sugared Things That Look Candied & Sparkle." Who knows if I'll ever actually find the hours required to shellac a whole mandarin in a glass-like coating of sugar but what a perfect distraction it would be this holiday season. —G.F.